Thursday, December 30, 2010

Happy 6th day of Christmas! This is the Chrismon Tree in the United Methodist building on Capital Hill, next door to the Supreme Court. To learn about gifts that the United Methodist Board of Church and Society is exericing on our behalf, pay a virtual visit to the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Chris Horner is friend and musician from Virginia. Just before Christmas, she shared this encounter with her grandchild.

Husband Colin added, "and this all goes on with four heading out the door to party, a hockey game on the TV, Christmas cards being stuffed and dinner being served to the late arrivers home. The application of faith must be powerful to overcome life's day to day."

Sammy invited me to a church service in the living room this evening. In attendance: two human; two dogs. The order of service was handwritten and is included verbatim below:

1. Entry with song

2 .Daily anonsments

3. prayr

4. song

5. personal silent prayr

6. song

7. hold hands and sing a song

8. exit with a song

Okay, the whole service took ~ 5 minutes. Cissy, who has learned to "shake", actually offered her paw during hand holding. Sam used recorded bits from the piano for the music, except when we sang "Jesus Loves Me". (Little dogs to Him belong) After the service, she handed me another piece of paper...

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Last night as I was leaving the 7:00 pm service, I got in my car which was facing the Church building. It was a beautiful sight. Luminaries lighting up the walk way and the steps to the church. The lights inside the Church shinning out (one is stained glass). It would have made a perfect Christmas card. So I paused to ponder and enjoy this Christmas card from God. Then I noticed it. The night sky was all dark behind the Church except for one very bright star shinning just above the steeple. It was beautiful. I hung around a while so that I could point it out to the several people who were still lingering inside. It was my Christmas gift to them. The lesson is one that I've heard continually during the Advent season this year. Pause in the midst of the secular Christmas craziness and reflect on the real meaning for the season. And the star came to rest over where the child lay. Merry Christmas Cindy Rosen

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

This week our candle is pink, symbolizing “Joy.” Mary was full of joy when God told her she would be Jesus’ mother. She knew her baby would bring joy with justice and compassion for all people. Whether it is something God has already done or something God promises to do, we have so many reasons to be full of joy!

Can you think of reasons for Joy that start each letter of the alphabet? For example, “A” is for Aunt Susan who always makes me smile, “B” is for bread baking in the oven, “C” is for Children International who help children all over the world have enough,…….

In worship we light the fourth advent candle in worship sing:

We pray that your Word may be born in our hearts, that we may shine bright with the joy it imparts.

The psalms are poems chanted by Jewish people as they worship.Even in hard times, they celebrate God’s faithfulness and practice their own faithfulness to God. People sing these words so often they know them by heart.Jesus grew up singing and knowing them.Jesus is God’s song of faithfulness made flesh, as a real person.

The words of Psalm 80 may be hard to hear.They are words of “repentance.”The people knew they had not been faithful to God.God still promised to be love and care for them.That’s not easy when someone you love has hurt you. Can you remember a time when someone hurt you?Can you remember a time when you did something hurtful to someone else?We all do hurtful things, sometimes by accident.Other times we know what we are doing, and do it anyway.God sent Jesus to help us get past all the hurts between God and us, between us and each other.

We lit our third candle in worship this week with words you can sing or say together now.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

“Advent” means coming.A long time ago, when the words you read were first spoken, God gave them to the prophet Isaiah as a word of hope.The people of Israel were living in hard times.They had to do what another nation’s king told them to.They couldn’t praise God freely or live the way God had taught their grandmothers and grandfathers too.

Isaiah said that God would keep the promises God had made. They would be “fulfilled.”God wants to fill our lives with good things.What are the very best things that God fills your life with?What do you hope God will fill all of our lives with?As we wait to celebrate Jesus’ birth, we hope to see God’s promises fulfilled in our world.

This morning in worship we lit the second candle as we sang together.You can read or sing these words now.

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About us

READFIELD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

READFIELD, MAINE, UNITED STATES

We are a small community of believers living in the beautiful hills of Mid Maine. Our lives intertwine in worship fellowship and around supper tables, in small discipleship groups and a growing music ministry. The Spirit stretches our hearts and minds as we connect with mission sites just down the road at the Mount Vernon Food Pantry, points west with the United Methodist Economic Ministry, and as far away as the gulf coast and Kaoma, Zambia. We are a community that hears children's giggles and soft amens during community prayer and shares challenging conversation about the intersection of sacred scripture and busy lives. We are planted here, seeds of the kindom, cultivating hope, faith and love. Come grow with us!